Sore knee while running

Question
Hi, I'm fairly active 32 year old female.  I exercise 3-4 times a week with a combination of cardio (treadmill, cross trainer, rowing, swimming).  Lately I have been experiencing pain in one knee when running.  The pain decreases when I stop, but returns once I start jogging increasing with my speed or duration of run.  It tends to stay around for that night and the following day. I warm up for 5-10 minutes beforehand and stretch after every work out. I feel it mostly when walking and going up and down stairs the next day. Could it just be the ligaments?  I tend to have a rest day from the gym the day after and then swim for the next couple of work outs. How do I prevent this or get rid of it?

Answer
Hi Iona
Based on your description you have developed some tracking and alignment problems and a slight case of chondromalacia with your symptons of walking up and down stairs.It is not ligaments.I recommend you include 3 to 4 times a week 30 to 40 minutes med tension stationary bike which should correct some of the alignment and tracking problems your experiencing do to the wide range of your combination of workouts which uses many different muscular skeleton systems.The bike will correct and strengthen some of those weak areas.The most important thing as you move forward in correcting this situation is a great deal of patience and consistent workouts on the bike that i described and in time you will be back to normal in no time.

All the best

John